Power Of Attorney
by twinkminded
Summary: Justin being in the hospital again reveals a secret the boys have kept.


"What do you mean Justin's at the hospital?" Mrs. Taylor asked in Ethan's ear.

Ethan stood right outside of the building. Justin had just been taken out of the ambulance and into the building. He wanted to go with his boyfriend, but knew he had to call his mother first. Justin was unconscious and the doctor would need someone's consent if they had to do anything.

"Justin fell down the stairs at the apartment," he told the woman. "He hit his head and is unconscious. We just got to the hospital."

"I'm on my way," she said quickly and hung up.

Ethan walked into the building, spoke to a nurse long enough to know that Justin was being taken care of and that they would let him know if something changed, then he sat down to wait.

Mrs. Taylor arrived within ten minutes. She didn't even look at Ethan as she hurried up to the nurses' desk.

"My son, Justin Taylor, where is he?" She demanded.

"Mr. Taylor is still with the doctor," the nurse said calmly. "As I told the young man, the doctor will be out shortly."

She nodded and sat down next to Ethan.

Fifteen minutes later a thin older woman in a classic white coat walked into the room.

"Mr. Kenny?" She asked.

Jennifer stood up and frowned. "Brian?" She asked. "He's not here. I'm Justin's mother."

"And I'm his boyfriend."

Jennifer tried not to roll her eyes. She knew just how worthless that statement was here.

"Please, how is he?" Jennifer asked desperately.

"He's still unconscious," the doctor told them. "But I'm afraid I need to speak with Mr. Kenny so that we can proceed with Justin's care."

Jennifer felt tears start to fall from her eyes. 'Proceed his care' meant something was really wrong.

"What does he need?" She demanded. "I'm his mother, you can do whatever necessary."

"I'm sorry," the doctor said looking in the file in her hand. "But I need Mr. Kenny's authorization to proceed. Are you able to reach him? If not we do have his contact information."

Jennifer shook her head a little. "I can call him," she said slowly, pulling out her phone.

"Is Justin taking any medicine?" The doctor asked looking between the two of them.

"He takes allergy pills," Ethan said slowly. "He takes other stuff, but I don't know what."

The doctor looked at the blond woman. "Please, have the nurse page me as soon as he arrives," she said seriously. "We'll have Justin ready, but we cannot proceed without speaking to Mr. Kenny."

"Of course," Jennifer said and hit the 7 on her speed dial. The fact that she still had Brian's number on speed dial didn't even register.

"Why do you need to talk to him?" Ethan asked stupidly. Jennifer knew why now, even though she was surprised that it was still the fact.

"Mr. Kenny has Justin's POA," the doctor said calmly, looking at the young man with a touch of distain. Jennifer didn't think it was because he was gay, but just something about him.

Brian was just about to walk into Woody's when his cell phone rang. His whole body frozen when he was it was Mother Taylor. Jennifer would only be calling about Justin, and only if it was important.

"Yes?" He answered.

"Brian," Jennifer said and she sounded almost scared, and it scared him. "You need to come to the hospital."

Brian was already heading to the Corvett, the phone clutched in his hand. "What happened?" He asked tightly.

"He fell," she said and he could hear the tears in her voice. "He hasn't woken up and they need to operate or something. Brian, they can't unless you give them permission."

Brian started the car. "I'll be right there," he told her and hung up.

He walked into the hospital less than ten minutes later to find Jennifer and Ian sitting in the waiting room.

"Brian," Jennifer said in relief, getting up and putting one arm around his waist. That was telling to him just how scared she was, which meant Justin had to really be hurt.

"Where's the doctor?" He asked, putting an arm around her shoulders in a partial hug.

"I'll have them page her," Jennifer said and walked to the nurses' desk.

"Why the hell are you still the one they have to talk to?" Ian asked with an angry scowl.

"Because I'm the one that is legally responsible for Justin in cases like this," he said tightly. "Did you think just because he's living with you that he would make you his POA?"

"No," Ethan said. "I've never really thought about such a thing as having a POA."

"That is your problem," Brian said without a care.

Just a couple minutes later the female doctor came out. "Mr. Kenny?" She said calmly.

"Yes," He said quickly. "What's wrong with him?"

"I'm afraid when Justin fell, he hit hard enough to cause swelling as well as bleeding of his brain," the doctor told them.

Jennifer swayed a little and Brian put his arm around her waist, holding her, even as he paled in fear. Another fucking blow to the head.

"You know he's had trauma to the brain before," Brian said, almost asking.

She nodded. "It's in the file," she assured him. "We just need your permission to do the surgery to relieve the pressure and stop the bleeding."

"You got it," Brian said instantly. "Do whatever you need to."

The doctor nodded. "We will," she promised him. "Do you know what medication he's taking?"

Brian nodded and pulled his wallet out. He took a folded piece of paper out and handed it to her. "This is a copy of his allergies and meds," he told her.

She nodded, opening the paper to look at the neat writing, at the detailed information. "Thank you," she said. "And I'll let you know as soon as we're done."

Both Brian and Jennifer nodded.

Brian led the woman to a small loveseat and sat them on it. He allowed her to hold his hand.

"You've done what you came to," Ian said snidely from where he sat in a chair on the other side of Jennifer. "You can leave now."

Jennifer's grip tightened.

"I'm not going anywhere," Brian said firmly. "Not until I know he is fine."

"I'm surprised you give a shit, after the way you've treated him, after he left you for someone better," Ethan sneered.

"Shut up, Ethan," Jennifer snapped. "You don't know anything about Justin and Brian. Justin obviously still trusts Brian with his life."

"More than you?" Ethan asked rudely. "Shouldn't you be the one he trusts?"

Jennifer shrugged a little, squeezing Brian's hand for a second. "I have no problem with Justin wanting Brian to do this," she said calmly. "I trust Brian to always do what is best for my son."

Ethan gapped at the two of them. "How can you?" He asked in surprise. "Don't you know what he did to Justin?"

Jennifer looked at Brian, seeing the way he tried so hard not to show his feelings, but she could see his fear for Justin.

"I know they had a very unusual relationship," she said looking back to her son's boyfriend and shot him a glare. "I also know that you purposely led Justin away with all that crap you spouted to him, making him think that he wanted that."

Brian tensed a little.

"I didn't have to do that," Ethan countered quickly, glancing at Brian for a second. "He already wanted someone to actually care about him, to want his as more than a fuck."

Brian just sat back, letting Jennifer hold his hand since she didn't seem ready to let go, and let them argue about it.

"You obviously don't know shit about it," Jennifer said and Brian couldn't but smirk at her language.

Jennifer sighed warily, thankful when he didn't say anything else. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes, still holding onto Brian. She knew that the older man loved her son, no matter what happened between them, she knew he would always take care of him too.

Brian breathed a sigh of relief hours later when the doctor walked back into the room. She didn't look like she was about to convey bad news.

All three of them stood up after hours of silence.

"Well?" Jennifer asked quickly.

"Justin has come through just fine," she assured him. "He's in recovery. The surgery went fine and he should be fine by tomorrow."

"When will he be able to leave?" Jennifer asked.

"Within a couple days," the doctor assured them.

All three sighed in relief.

"Can we see him?" Jennifer asked.

The doctor looked between them. "The two of you can," she said looked at Brian and Jennifer then to Ethan. "He'll be out of recovery in a couple hours then you may."

"What?" Ethan asked sharply. "Why can't I see him now? I'm his boyfriend."

The doctor shook her head a little. "Immediate family only."

"He's not family," Ethan sneered pointing to Brian.

The doctor looked at Brian for him to explain how he wished. It seemed odd to her, but she was following the request in Justin's file that Brian Kenny was referred to as the POA, not by the actual legal status he held.

Brian raised his brow at the fiddler, then started walking, Jennifer still holding his hand.

"You two never refiled all that," Jennifer sad softly in surprise as they walked.

"Why would we?" Brian asked blankly.

"I guess I just assumed…."

"Just because he is living with and fucking someone else, does not change what is between us," Brian said honestly.

Jennifer absorbed that as they walked to where Justin lay. Fresh tears started down her cheeks seeing Justin on the bed, wires connected all over, looking so small and helpless. His head was wrapped in bandages, again.

Brian let go of Jennifer and walked straight to the bed, swallowing back his own tears. Justin looked so much as he did the last time.

He gently reached out and brushed his finger along Justin's cheek. This time though, Brian wouldn't hide. This time Brian wouldn't and couldn't be kept away.

"Justin," Jennifer said softly as she took her son's hand. "Baby."

"He's going to be okay," a nurse said form behind them, coming into the room to check on the blond.

They both nodded, but didn't look away from the bed.

"I'm sorry, but you cannot stay any longer," the nurse said after a few minutes.

Jennifer leaned down as kissed Justin's cheek was headed for the door.

Brian brushed his fingers over Justin's cheek again. He didn't say anything, just touched his blond and walked out of the room.

He followed Jennifer back to the waiting room and sat down, weary. Justin was once again in the hospital and they were waiting for him to wake.

"He's doing fine," Jennifer said to Ethan as she sat back down next to Brian. She'd spent a little time around the man since Justin moved in with him, but she couldn't say they were close in any manner. Right now though, she felt closer to him than anyone else in the world. The person they both loved was hurt, again.

"Why did you let him go, Brian?" She asked softly after some time.

Brian tensed. He stared at his hands in his lap, holding onto Jennifer's. "He needs the experience," he answered softly. "He wants to try a normal relationship."

Jennifer looked at the man, not sure what to say to that.

"He wants to be loved," Ethan snapped.

Brian rolled his eyes, not even looking at the guy.

"Try?" Jennifer asked softly, raising her brows. "You think it won't last between them?"

"Do you?" Brian asked bluntly, ignoring the glare he was receiving from the fiddler.

No, she didn't. She'd seen the glances between the men the time she'd seen them at the girls' party.

They were silent again, both ignoring Ethan and Ethan ignoring them. He thought Mrs. Taylor had been so nice before, but it was clear now who she preferred her son with.

"I have to get Molly," Jennifer said after an hour.

Brian nodded. "Take care of Molly," he told her. "I'll call you after a while and let you know how he's doing."

She nodded and stood up. "Are you going to call anyone?" She asked gently, knowing how much Brian hated to show his emotions, his weaknesses.

Brian sighed, thinking of his 'family'. He knew they were going to find out, but he just wasn't ready to deal with them. He didn't want to be alone either; he could admit it to himself.

"Daphne," he finally said, thinking of Justin best friend. Not only would she want to be here, but he wouldn't mind her here with him. She was more like Justin in that she wouldn't use any weakness against him.

"I'll call her," Jennifer said. She kissed Brian on the cheek. To think, less than a year ago she hated the man.

"Thank you, Mother Taylor."

It only took Daphne only a few minutes to show up at the hospital. "Brian," she said as soon as she saw him. She threw herself into his arms before he could even stand up.

Surprised, Brian just held her. "He's okay," he told her.

"Are you sure?" She asked, finally standing back up.

He nodded, gesturing for her to sit next to him. "I saw him a little while ago. He's in recovery."

"What happened?"

"Apparently he fell and hit his head," he explained. "He was bleeding again, but they stopped it."

"God," she breathed.

He nodded and found himself holding another hand, another female's.

"Mr. Kenny?" A nurse said about twenty minutes later.

All three of them looked up.

"Yes," Brian asked, standing up, Daphne with him.

"He's been moved to a room," the nurse said. "You can go see him now."

Brian nodded and stood up, bring Daphne with him.

"Come with me."

Brian nodded and started to follow.

Ethan started to walk with them.

"Who said you can come?" Brian asked rudely.

"Brian," Daphne said softly. "He is Justin's boyfriend."

Brian scowled, but nodded and started walking again.

Justin was lying in a bed when they walked in, asleep.

"His clothes and things are in the bag on the nightstand," the nurse said, gesturing.

Brian went straight to the far side of the single hospital bed. He pulled the armchair up to the bed and sat down. He had no intention of leaving right now.

"God, Justin," Ethan said quietly, taking Justin's hand in his.

Daphne stared at her friend for a long moment. He was pale and looked so small in the bed, but she knew this time that he was going to be okay. After the prom, she'd been so scared, but this time she knew he was doing okay, and that he had Brian.

Brian opened the clear bag of Justin's things and found the smaller bag inside that held the only jewelry Justin had been wearing, a simple gold oval link chain necklace. He tucked the necklace in his pocket after a minute, wanting to make sure it didn't get lost.

Brian felt like his heart lurched when Justin's eyes fluttered open a while later. The blond slowly looked around the room, blinking several times, his eyes trying to focus on what he was seeing.

"Brian?" He finally asked softly, his eyes settling on the one face that meant more to him than anything.

"Hey, Sunshine," he said with a faint smile.

"What's going on?" He asked with a slight frown. "Where am I? Why are you here? I thought we were taking some time away."

Brian smiled faintly and caressed his blond's cheek. "You took a hit to the head again," he explained.

"Is that why my head hurts so much?"

Brian nodded. "They had to open you up again."

"Damn," Justin said after a moment, closing his eyes.

"Justin?"

Justin opened his eyes at the sound of Ethan's voice. He noticed his hand being held and looked to the man standing on the other side of his bed.

It took Justin a long moment to remember who Ethan was to him, and why the man was there. Right, Justin wanted to experience a relationship that was not as unconventional as his and Brian's.

"Are you okay?" Ethan asked stupidly.

"I will be," Justin said honestly.

"You have to stop getting hurt, Justin," Daphne said from the end of the bed, trying to make it a joke, but her voice broke at the end.

"Trust me, I don't mean to," he said softly, his eyes closing. He was tired. "Bri?" He asked.

"Yeah, Sunshine?" Brian asked.

"My head is starting to really hurt," he told him quietly.

Brian grabbed the call button and pushed it. "Justin needs something for pain," he said to the remote when a nurse answered.

Nobody knew what to say as Brian sat back in his chair, appearing relaxed. Justin looked at Ethan, feeling a little uncomfortable. Daphne just moved to sit on the foot of the bed, her eyes traveling from man to man.

The nurse came in after a minute and looked at the four of them. "I'm sorry, but visiting hours are over," she told them as she injected something into Justin's IV tube.

"Will you call Jennifer, Daphne?" Brian asked, having no intention of leaving.

Daphne nodded, climbed off the bed, kissed Justin on the cheek, and left.

"Can't I stay?" Ethan asked. "I'm his partner."

"Boyfriend," Brian corrected. "Partner implies long established or something legal." He smirked at the younger man.

"I'm sorry, but only the next of kin can stay," the nurse said calmly and looked at Brian. "Are you planning on staying, Mr. Kenny? I could get a cot brought in."

"Why the hell can he stay?" Ethan asked bitterly. "He's only a medical proxy."

Brian rolled his eyes and looked at Justin, who seemed to have fallen back to sleep. "You don't have to explain anything to him," he said looking back to the nurse.

"Now just hold on, Kenny," Ethan snapped.

Brian glared at the man. "If you want to be able to see Justin while he's here, you better shut up and go," he said tightly.

"You can't keep me out," Ethan told him.

"Unless Mr. Taylor says otherwise, he has the right to deny you," the nurse said, her eyes moving between the two of them. "Now, I'm sorry, but you have to leave."

Brian watched as the fiddler left, still scowling at not getting his way.

"Would you like a cot, Mr. Kenny?" The nurse asked gently.

"No," Brian said shaking his head. "I'm fine."

She nodded. "I'll be by again soon, let me know if you need anything," she told him and left the room, pulling the door shut behind her.

Brian leaned close to the bed and brushed the back of his hand over Justin's cheek.

Justin's eyes fluttered open again and he smiled faintly seeing Brian.

"Hey," Brian said softly.

"Hey," Justin responded, his eyes closing again. "I'm so tired, Bri."

"It's the drugs," Brian explained. "Go back to sleep."

"Will you stay?" Justin asked sleepily.

"For as long as you want me," Brian said honestly.

"I'm scared," he mumbled after a minute.

"Of what?" Brian asked, moving to sit on the bed, caressing Justin's arm.

"I don't wanna be here," he whispered. "I don't wanna dream, don't wanna be here again." He mumbled for another minute, incoherent words Brian couldn't understand.

"I'm here, Justin," Brian whispered, carefully lying down next to him and putting one arm around him.

Brian woke each time the nurse came in to check on Justin, but didn't actually get up until breakfast was brought in for the blond.

"Oh, Sunshine."

Brian and Justin looked up at Debbie's voice.

"Why didn't you call me?" Deb demanded of Brian, who sat calmly in his chair.

Brian shrugged and watched as Justin slowly finished his meal. His right hand was shaking, something that had been happening since he woke.

Brian just sat back as Deb fawned over the blond. He needed to either go into work or call Cynthia. He didn't really want to go to work and leave Justin.

"Brian," Justin said softly.

Brian looked at the blond in silent question.

"Go to work," he told him. "You don't need to sit here all day. I'm fine, promise."

"We're not going to let Sunshine sit here alone," Deb said.

Brian continued to look at the blond for a moment then nodded. He stood up, pulled the necklace from his pocket, and bent over the smaller man. He fastened the chain around Justin's neck. "I'll be back later, Sunshine," he promised in a whisper.

Justin gave him a small smile and nodded.

Brian nodded and left the room. He needed to go by the loft to shower and change.

He sneered a little as he passed Ethan near the entrance.

Justin was tired and his head was aching. Debbie sat next to the bed, fussing over him, as she had for the past hour. Ethan sat on the other side, being so sweet it was almost irritating.

Justin wanted out of this fucking hospital. He'd already had two panic attacks, scaring Emmitt and his mother. He could feel another starting, mostly from the pain and discomfort of having someone on either side of him.

"Justin?" Ethan asked as the heart monitor beeped a little quicker. He reached out to hold his boyfriend's hand, but Justin jerked away from his touch.

"Sunshine?" Deb asked, reaching out as well.

Justin shook his head, pulling back from her as well. His heart was beating faster and he could feel a cold sweat starting. He knew a nurse would be coming in soon, just as the last two times.

"What's the matter?" Ethan asked, grabbing Justin's hand even when he pulled away.

"Don't!" Justin cried out, pulling his hand away, pulling both to his chest as he started to shake. Fuck, he hated this.

"Don't!" Brian heard Justin's shaking, fearful voice, and knew what was going on.

He made it into Justin's room just steps ahead of the nurse.

"Justin," Brian said calmly as he walked steadily towards the bed, tossing his briefcase on the foot of the bed, ignoring the others in the room.

Justin's eyes were wide, his pupils dilated with fear, sweat beading on his forehead. "Brian," he managed, his voice a shaky whisper.

"Hey," Brian said gently, stepping next to the bed, making Deb move just by being in her personal space. He reached out slowly and put his hand on Justin's shoulder.

"Mr. Taylor?" The nurse asked, trying to move Brian aside as he'd done with Deb.

Justin ignored the woman he his eyes stayed glued on Brian.

"Calm down, princess," Brian said, his voice almost teasing at the last. "You're scaring the help."

Justin forced out a little smile as his shaking slowed. Brian always calmed him when he had an attack.

"Justin," Ethan said, reaching out again, not liking that Kenny was holding the blond's attention, that he was touching him when he'd pulled away from Ethan.

Justin tensed and pulled away quickly, not wanting to be touch. He leaned more towards Brian, who took the hint and sat on the edge of the bed.

"It's okay," Brian said softly as he put his arm around Justin's shoulder, pulling him close.

"I don't want to be here," Justin murmured into Brian's chest, not caring who was around. All he wanted at the moment was Brian to protect him from everything.

"I know," Brian said, glad that Justin's heart monitor was returning to a more normal cadence, even if the boy was still shaking a little. "But you have to, at least for another day."

Justin shook his head. "I wanna go home."

"Tomorrow," Brian told him.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave," the nurse said as she watched the two men on the bed. "Mr. Taylor needs to rest now."

Deb nodded, even though she didn't want to leave. "I'll be back tomorrow, Sunshine," she said with a small smile.

"I'll be back in the morning," Ethan promised, his eyes flicking from Justin to Brian.

"You as well," the nurse said when Brian made no move to get up.

"I'm not going anywhere," Brian said firmly.

"I'm sorry, but only the patient's husband is allowed to say."

Ethan stopped his walk to the door at her words. He turned around quickly to look at them all. "Husband?" He asked in surprise.

Brian didn't even look at the man, just held Justin as he slowly relaxed. "I'm Brian Kenny," he said calmly.

She nodded and looked at Ethan. "I'm sorry, but you have to go now." She should have known the man Mr. Taylor clung to was his husband.

Ethan scowled as he was all but pushed out of the room. He saw Debbie standing just outside of the hospital with Justin's mother, telling her about Justin having a panic attack.

Both women looked at him as he came out.

"Where's Brian?" Debbie asked.

Ethan couldn't help sneering a little. "Justin's _husband_," he spat the word, "is staying with him."

"Husband?" Debbie said loudly in surprise.

"That's what the nurse said, only his husband could stay," Ethan said with a scowl.

"Did you know, Jen?" Deb asked.

"I knew they had paperwork done up for POA and such," Jennifer said slowly, not wanting to lie, but not wanting to admit she knew they were married. She had assumed they had changed at least that after Justin left, but clearly they hadn't. And from the little she saw between them, she didn't think they would be.

"I just can't believe it, there has to be some kind of mistake," Debbie said as they started walking away from the hospital. "I know Sunshine loves him, but Brian would never marry someone."

Jennifer kept her mouth shut, not willing to tell the woman that the couple had married shortly after Justin returned to school, had recovered better.

Brian held Justin until he stopped shaking completely. Then he released him, but stayed sitting on the bed.

"Bri?" Justin said softly.

Brian looked at him in question as he idly massaged Justin's damaged hand.

"Will you stay with me again tonight?" Justin asked hesitantly. "I… I don't like it here."

Brian pressed his lips to Justin's temple, understanding. "I'm here as long as you want me to be, Sunshine," he whispered

Ethan stopped in the doorway to Justin's room the next morning. Kenny was still in the room, standing next to the bed.

"I'll be back this evening, Sunshine," Kenny was saying, brushing hair off Justin's forehead.

"Bring me some real food?" Justin asked, smiling.

"Of course," Kenny said gently; Ethan didn't know the man was able to be gentle.

Ethan tapped on the door and both men looked at him, Kenny with a disapproving scowl and Justin with a slightly uncomfortable smile.

"Do your hand exercises," Kenny said and walked out of the room without even looking at Ethan again.

"Hey," Justin said softly once Brian was out of the room.

Ethan smiled at his boyfriend, though he didn't think he really was his boyfriend anymore. "How are you feeling?" He asked walking up to the bed.

"Better," Justin said honestly, massaging his right hand with his left. He had been acting up a lot since the accident.

Ethan climbed up on the foot of the bed and gave the blond an understanding smile. "You're not coming back to my place, are you?" He asked.

Justin looked down to the sketchbook in his lap, at the ill-drawn picture of Brian. He looked back up and gave the man a sad look. "No, I don't think so."

"Does he love you, Justin?"

Justin nodded. "He may not say it, but he does," he told him.

Ethan nodded. "Are you really married?"

He nodded again.

"Why didn't you divorce?" Ethan asked

Justin gave him another sad smile. "Because I knew I would go back one day," he said honestly. "I'm sorry, Ethan, but I knew we wouldn't last."

Ethan nodded, looking down for a moment. "Then why bother?"

"Because I do like you," Justin told him. "I wanted to be with you…., but I will always be Brian's."

Ethan sighed. "He really is lucky, having you," he said looking up at him with a small smile.

"Ethan," Justin said after several minutes of silence between them. "I really have enjoyed being with you, spending time together."

"As friends, huh?" He said. "I'm I getting the 'can we still be friends', aren't I?"

Justin smiled sheepishly. "I really would like to be."

"What about Kenny?" He asked.

"Brian doesn't tell me who my friends are," he told him. "And he trusts me if I say that's all we are now."

"Even after cheating?"

"I wasn't cheating," Justin said. "Brian knew I wanted something else, knew I building a relationship with you. He didn't like that I was, that I wanted something he wasn't giving me, but he knew I needed to be away from him for a while."

"He just doesn't seem like the kind to be okay with that," Ethan said kicking his shoes off and pulling his legs up to sit cross-legged.

"I didn't say he liked it," Justin said with a slight laugh. "But he's my first boyfriend and lover. He knew I needed to at least try another relationship, to see if I would be happier with someone else."

Ethan stared at Justin for a minute. "He really does love you," he finally said. "He would let you go if you were happy with someone else."

Justin nodded. "He would have hated it, but yes."

"He's a far better man than I thought," Ethan said. "And I would love to still be friends."

Justin smiled. "Me too."

Brian walked to Justin's room at lunchtime. He'd decided to take the rest of the day off to be with his blond.

He smiled when he heard Justin's laughter.

He walked into the room, surprised to find Ethan sitting on the foot of Justin's bed, smiling.

Both men looked up when Brian walked into the room, Justin with one of his sunshine smiles. "What are you doing here?" He asked easily then he spotted the bag in his hand. "Did you bring me food?"

Brian chuckled.

"Well, I better be going," Ethan said reaching down to put his shoes back on. "I have class in a little while."

Brian watched Justin smile at the fiddler. "I'll call you tomorrow."

Ethan nodded with a smile. "I'll get everything together for you."

"Thanks."

"You're a lucky son of a bitch," Ethan said to Brian as he walked past and out the door.

Brian raised a brow at his blond. "What was that about?"

"I told him I'm going home," Justin with a gentle smile.

Brian stared into blue eyes for a long minute to read what he meant. He smiled and sat on the edge of the bed. "Good," he said and kissed Justin's lips softly.

"I love you, Bri," Justin said quietly, tugging lightly on the necklace around Brian's neck, one identical to his own.

"I know, Sunshine," Brian said with a loving smile.

Justin pulled him into a kiss. He knew Brian had trouble saying it, but he showed his love in so many ways. He married him, bought them matching necklaces in place of rings, he took care of him, let him go to experience the things Brian didn't do.

His husband loved him, as much as he loved him.


End file.
